Target apparatus.



G. W. HARPER. TARGET APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB: 5, 1912. RENEWEDAPR. 15, 1014.

1,098,255, Patented May 26, 1914.

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w re s'rans re CHARLES W. HARPER, OF EVERETT, IVIASSACI-IUSETTS.

TARGET APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. HARPER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Target Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to multiple target apparatus of the class shown anddescribed in my patent numbered 996,712 and granted July at, 1911, andthe object of my present invention is to provide an improved apparatusof this class.

In the apparatus of the patent above noted the targets wereautomatically reset by the action of the weight of the displaced targetsupon a scales-like device or detent comprising a pivoted frame carryinga counterbalance weight, said device serving to catch and hold thedisplaced targets as they were knocked down by the projectiles until theweight of the knocked down targets overbalanced the scales-like devicewhereupon the latter was tilted by the weight of the targets so as topermit all of the latter to return to their normal positions. In otherwords, the device which caught and held the knocked down targets wasconstructed upon the principle of a scales.

The object of my present invention is to provide a resetting mechanismin which the weight of the targets is not relied upon to release themfrom the detent and in which the targets themselves prop up the detentplate until the last of the targets is operated, whereupon the detent,being no longer propped up, falls, and in falling releases the targets,which in turn fall, about their pivots, and thus cause their props orupper ends to wedge beneath the detent frame and again lift the detentto position and hold it there, until again released by the operation ofthe targets.

My improved target apparatus comprises a movable member for catching thetargets that are displaced from their normal positions by the impact ofprojectiles, but this movable member is normally locked in operativeposition, and is automatically unlocked to permit the targets to returnto their normal positions only when the last of a predetermined numberof targets has been displaced by a projectile or the like. When themovable member is thus unlocked it automatically frees the targets andthe Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 5, 1912, Serial No. 675,426. Renewed. April15, 1914.

Patented-May 26, 1914.

Serial No. 832,107.

latter are all returned to their normal positions and in returning totheir normal positions reset and again lock the detent.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedtarget apparatus; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a side view;Fig. l is a side view showing the releasing and resetting operation; andis a section on line l"l of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail of the springcatch on the detent plate.

Having reference to the drawings, 4;, 5, 6 and 7 represent a series oftargets each of whichis pivoted loosely on a rod or bar 8 fastened atits ends to two side frames 9 adapted to be secured to a wall, post, orother fixture, indicated at 101' The hub 8 of each target is made withan upwardly extending prop or arm 11. At the back of the machine andextending between the side frames 9 is a second rod or shaft 12 which ispivoted in sockets 9 upon the side frames and to this rod is secured aframe 13 made up of several rods extending toward the front ofthemachine and joined at their outer ends by connections 13 This framecarries a plate let to the underside of which are secured spring bolts 1and the rear end of, the rods 13 of the frame are secured to the shaft12 by set-screws 00. Between the hubs 8 of the several targets andbetween the sides of the machine and the hubs of the outer targets areinterposed cylindrical spacing blocks 8 mounted upon the shaft 8, whichspace the targets in proper position upon the shaft and in the machine.

The mode of operation is as follows: When a projectile strikes one ofthe targets 4:, 5, 6, 0r 7 the force of the impact is such as to throwthe target hit backward and upward until it engages the bolt of thespring catch 14: and is detained thereby. As each of the targets isstruck this operation is repeated until the fourth target is struck.When the fourth target is struck its prop 11, (which is, after the otherthree targets have been elevated and detained, the only prop whichsupports the frame 13) being removed, the frame 13 drops and thusreleases the targets which are held by the detents 14 The targetsthereupon begin to fall to their normal position and in doing this theirupper ends 11 engage the several rods of the frame 13, and, as thetargets fall to normal position, wedge the frame 13 up to its originalposition and reset the machine as it was at the out-set.

Fig. 4- is an illustration showing the position of the targets atdifferent times in the cycle of operation. The sectioned target, 6, andits associated parts, is shown in the position in which the targets arejust after they have been dropped by the detents 14. The target behind,in full lines, is still further dropped, and its upper end is beneathone of the rods 13, wedging up the detent frame as it and the othertargets fall. Or, assuming that three of the targets have been shot upand are held by the detents, the target shown in full lines wouldillustrate the action when the last of the four targets is shot up and,its prop 11 being removed from beneath rod 13, the detent frame falls.In actual operation, of course, the targets fall substantially togetherto reset the detent frame.

I claim:

1. A multiple target apparatus comprising a plurality of movablysupported targets; a detent for holding the targets in their displacedpositions; automatic means for locking and unlocking said detent, saidunlocking permitting the release of the dis placed targets and beingcaused by the displacement of the 'last of a predetermined number ofplaced targets.

2. A multiple target apparatus comprising a plurality of movablysupported targets; a pivotally supported detent for holding the targetsin their displaced positions and means for locking and unlocking saiddetent, said unlocking permitting release of the displaced targets andbeing caused by the displacement of the last of a predeter- 4o theirdisplaced positions; a plurality of looking props cooperating with saiddetent, each of said props being controlled by one of the targets so asto normally look the detent in its operative position and so as to beshifted out of locking position by the movement of the target when thelatter is displaced by a projectile or the like.

4. A multiple target apparatus comprising a plurality of movabletargets; a plurality of props each controlled by a target; and a detentto catch and hold the displaced targets and supported by the severalprops of the several targets, when in their operative positions.

5. A multiple target apparatus, comprising a plurality of displaceableand automatically replaceable targets; a releasable catch for displacedtargets; and connections controlling the catch and controlled by thepresence of the targets in or their absence from their places, wherebythe catch is released upon displacement of the last of the targets andis reset by the replacement of the targets.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 2nd day of February, 1912.

CHARLES W. HARPER.

Witnesses:

J osErI-r T. BRENNAN, MARY A. OBRIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

